Dirt Music by Tim Winton is a Booker prize shortlisted novel from 2001 and winner of the 2002 Miles Franklin Award. The harsh, unyielding climate of Western Australia dominates the actions and events of this thriller.

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Georgie, the heroine of the book, becomes fascinated in watching a stranger attempting to poach fish in an area where nobody can maintain secrets for very long; disillusioned with her relationship with the local fisherman legend Jim Buckridge, she contrives a meeting with the stranger and soon passion runs out of control between two bruised and emotionally fragile people.

The secret quickly becomes impossible to hide and Jim wants revenge, whilst the smuggler hikes north via Wittenoom (out of respect for his father who died of mesothelioma in the town) and Broome to an island off the remote coast of Kimberley beyond Kununurra to escape a confrontation. His subsequent struggles to survive in the hostile environment and, knowing that he must try to literally cover his tracks, give this book its gripping denouement.[1]

Tim Winton and Lucky Oceans chose the music for the book's "soundtrack". Released in CD form in Australia in 2001, the two disc set includes both bluegrass and classical music. The music is embodied by a quote from the book: "Anything you could play on a verandah. You know, without electricity. Dirt music."

A film adaptation of Dirt Music is in development, to be directed by Phillip Noyce. Originally, Heath Ledger was expected to play the role of Luther Fox, but due to scheduling conflicts with The Dark Knight, Ledger withdrew. In 2007, Rachel Weisz and Colin Farrell were cast in the roles of Georgie Jutland and Luther Fox[2] but filming was delayed. In 2010, it was reported that Russell Crowe would star in the film.,[3] although Noyce said the script was still being worked on.